Exercising machine



No 12, 1935. l. M. CAPLAN 2,020,992

EXERCISING MACHINE Filed July 13. 1934 INVENTOR ISABELLE M .CAPLAN BY ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

' 2,020,992 7 EXERCISING MACHINE Isabelle M. Caplan, Miami Beach, Fla. Application July 1-3, 1934,. Serial No. 734,917.

6 Claims.

This invention relates to new andv useful improvements in an exercising machine.

The invention has for an object. the construcmachine .i-na. vertical position when a personworks.

thereon, or. to construct. the base. so as to be attachable on a floor.

Still further. the invention. contemplates to so construct. the exercising machine that it is port-' able and. may be placed near a wall or a window sill or placed so that the person: exercising may be. partially supported by said. or. other foreign objects.

Still further the invention proposes to so arrange the mechanism. for rotating the pedals as to be. located within a frame of the machine so that. no moving. parts. outside of the pedals are exposed.

Still further the invention proposes to arrange the frame with a pair of vertical side pipes. con.- stituting. the sides of the frame, and to arrange the driving mechanism to extend through one of the pipes.

Still further the invention also contemplates the provision of a motor for operating the device, said motor to be connected with the device by the provision of a belt arranged in such a manner that slipping: is possible so that the person, in the event of emergency,. can. press heavily against the pedals and hold the machine from operating and so prevent accidents.

Still further the invention also proposes an arrangement whereby the frame of the machine may be adjusted to various tilted positions so as to exercise various muscles of the body during the natural exercising of the machine.

Still further the invention proposes the construction of a; machine as mentioned which issimple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description andaccompanyingdrawing; and to the appended claims in which the various novel features. of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part. of this disclosure:--

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of amachine constructed according tothis invention and illustrated' with a person. exercisingthereon.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of. the machine illustratedin Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is. a. fragmentary transverse verticalsectional view of one of. the sidearms-of the-frame of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a. horizontal sectional View taken on.

theline 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryenlarged detailed view of a; portion of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is airont elevational view of a machine similar to that. illustrated in Figs. 1. to 5 except.

modified with an arrangement wherein the-frame of themachine may assume various inclined positions.v

Fig. '7 is a. fragmentary enlarged sectional view takenon the line 1-1 of Fig. 6

The exercising machine according. to this.' invention comprises a heavy base I 0 upon whichis. mounted a frame I I consisting of'a pairof vertical side pipes Il and a horizontal pipe l'l' The base I0 is formed with several openings I0 for screws by which it may be attached. upon the floor; If. intended. to be attachedit may be constructed relatively light. since it. needv not support the machine in a vertical position.

The side pipes I l are equipped with flanges I2 upon the bottom ends which are attached upon the base Ill; The side pipes I'I have upper bushings Il slidabl'e. on the outer sides thereof and lower T' connections set" into the sides thereof. Horizontal pipes l3 and I3 are connected between these bushings and T connections respectively and form housings for upper and lower horizontal shafts I4" and t5 respectively. These shafts extend from the outer ends of the parts H and I I which-have plugs Himount'ed upon the outer sides. The; outer ends of the shafts l4 and I5 are equipped cranks I 8 having pedals I9 upon theends thereof.

The bottom horizontal pipe I3 is formed of two sections engaging into opposite sides of a speed reduction unit 20. This speed reduction unit is provided with a shaft 2 l extending fromthe rear side and provided with a pulley 22. A belt 21- connects with this pulley and connects with a small pulley 24 upon the shaft of the motor 25 which ismounted upon the base.

pipe sections.

- its operation.

,set to tilt in one ets 26 and 2? arranged within the parts H and li at one of the sides of the frame. A chain 28 engages through one of the pipe sections l I and engages the sprockets 26 and 21. The bushings ii are slidably arranged upon the pipe sections H They are held in adjusted fixed positions with clamp screws l l through the bushings and engaging against the are formed with slots i I through which the shaft 24 extends. The sections i Ware also formed with slots H at the-fronts which align with smaller openings! I in the bushings l I so that it is possible to inspect the interior of the pipe sections H The inspection is particularly intended to permit inspection of the sprocket 26 and the chain 28. The purpose'of the vertical adjustment of the bushings He is to compensate forwear on the sprockets and so as to adjust the tension of the'chain 28. The pipe sections ll are made from sections joined together withconventional unions H .Det'ailsof the gear reduction 20 will not be given in this specification since they form no part of the invention and gear reductions are generally known. The only requisite of the gear reduction is that driving of the shaft 2| is transmitted to rotate the shaft at greatly reduced 7 speed. A switch 3| is shown mounted upon one of the pipes of the frame and is intended to be connected not shown with the motor 25 and a source 7 of current for operating the motor. The details of this electric connection will notbe given in this .specification since they form no part of the invention and such connections are generally known. The arrangement must be such that when the switch 3! isclosed to start the motor, and when the switch 3| is open, the motor ceases The operation of the device is as follows:-A person desirous of exercising upon the machine steps upon the bottom pedals I9 and holds the upper pedals l9 with the hands. Then one hand is taken off one of the pedals and the switch 3| operated to cause operation of the motor 25 and the hand is then immediately reengaged upon the pedal.

Operation of the motor 25 will serve to drive theshaft [5 to cause the bottom pedals M3 to rotate continuously, and this rotation is transmitted to the upper shaft M which causes the upper pedals 19 to similarly rotate.

Preferably the upper cranks [8 are set 180 from eachother, and the lower cranks are similarly set relative to each other. If aperson desires, when so exercising he or she may sit upon 7 a window sill or rest with the back against a wall or lightly sit upon a table, though after continuous use of the device it will be found that much ,additional support is unnecessary. V

In Figs. 4 and 5 a modification of the invention has been disclosed wherein an arrangement is provided to enhance the exercising value of the device. The arrangement is such that the frame of the .machine may be set at various inclined threadedly engaging The sides of the pipe'sections ll This causes supported by a standard 34 which is mounted uponrthe base I0; 7 V e The frame I l' of the machine is supported sole 1y by the casing 20' of the transmission mechanism 2i! 'except'for the fact that the lowerends 5 7 against the base 10. In other respects the device 10 is similar to the preferred form and the same parts may be recognized by corresponding reference numerals. 1 V As illustrated in Fig.4 the frame of the machine is set in the vertical position. vIf desired the set screws 35 may be loosened so that the frame 7 may be tilted to any degree in one or the other 1 direction. When in the tilted position the set screws 35 may be driven down so as to engage against the top of the base Ill and so the frame Will'be held in the adjusted inclined position.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within thescope of the invention as defined inthe appended claims. i r Havingithus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to 'secure by United 3 7 frame, a pair of upper pedals on the sides of said 40 7 frame, a transmission from said driven shafts for rotating said pedals, and means for holding said 7 frame'in various inclined positions on the axis of said driving shaft.

2. An exercising machine, comprising a base} 7 a speed reduction unit in a casing, and having a rear driving shaft and side driven shafts, a motor on said base connected with said rear driving shaft, means for supporting said casing in angularly adjusted positions about the axis of 5 7 said driving shaft, a vertical frame supported on said casing, a pair of lower pedals on the sides of said frame, a pair of upper pedals on the sides of said frame, a transmission from said driven shafts for rotating said pedals, and means for holding said frame in various inclined positions. on the axis of said-driving shaft, said means for supporting the casing comprising a disc assol ciated with one side of thecasing for. swivelly supporting the casing and a standard supporting said disc'upon said base. i

3. An exercising machine,- comprising a base, a speed reduction unit in a casing, and having a rear driving shaft andside driven shafts, a motor onsaid base connected with'said rear driving shaft, means for supportingsaid casing in angu gaged through lower portions of said frame and adapted to engage against said base.

4. An exercising machine, comprising a base, a speed reduction unit in a casing, and having a rear driving shaft and side driven shafts, a motor on said base connected with said rear driving shaft, means for supporting said casing in angularly adjusted positions about the axis of said driving shaft, a vertical frame supported on'said casing, a pair of lower pedals on the sides of said frame, a pair of upper pedals on the sides of said frame, a transmission from said driven shafts for rotating said pedals, and means for holding said frame in various inclined positions on the axis of said driving shaft, comprising set screws engaged through lower portions of said frame and adapted to engage against said base, the lower portions of the frame being provided with flanges for said set screws.

5. An exercising machine, comprising a base, a vertical frame on said base, a pair of lower pedals on the sides of said frame, a pair of upper pedals on the sides of said frame, and means for rotating said pedals, said vertical frame comprising a pipe fitting having vertical sides and a horizontal connecting top, said sides being provided with upper and lower horizontal pipes forming a casing for horizontal upper and lower shafts, upper and lower shafts in said horizontal pipes and extending from the side of the frame and said upper and lower pedals being mounted upon the ends of said shafts, a transmission being engaged through one of the vertical sides of the frame for connecting the upper and lower shafts for unitary rotation, comprising a chain 5 through the pipe and engaging sprockets fixed upon the shafts, and means for vertically adjusting the upper horizontal pipe for the purpose of controlling the tension of said chain, said upper horizontal pipe being connected with bushings slidable upon the side arms of said frame, and said upper shaft engaging through said bushings and through elongated slots in said side arms.

6. An exercising machine, a base, a vertical frame on said base, and including vertical side arms, each having a T fitting near its bottom, bushings slidably mounted on said side arms, a horizontal bottom pipe between said T fittings,

a bottom shaft through said bottom pipe and T fittings, pedals on the ends of said shaft, a top shaft through said top pipe and bushings and slots in the vertical side arms, pedals on the ends of the top shaft, means for driving the lower shaft, sprockets upon the top and bottom shafts and located within one of the side arms, a chain over said sprockets and extending through the side arm, and means for holding said bushings in various adjusted positions for controlling the tension of said chain.

ISABELLE M. CAPLAN. :0 

